By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
Senior Day Program I Senior Day Gallery
LAGRANGE, Ga. – LaGrange (11-19, 5-7 CCS) recognized the accomplishments of four individuals on Senior Day but would not find success against Piedmont (23-12, 10-4 CCS) as they fell 11-2 and 11-1 in an NCAA Division III softball doubleheader on Sunday, April 16.
GAME 1: PIEDMONT 11, LAGRANGE 2
The Lions would get on the board first as Jasmine Lowery delivered an RBI double to plate Kennedy Votava for a 1-0 lead in the second before the Panthers responded in the fourth. That would take the form of three hits, all singles, for a pair of runs to pull ahead 2-1.
That would be the sum total of their offense for the game, however, as Emma McBrayer and Hannah Morgan singles flipped the script and put PU up 3-2 in the fifth. They would then load the bases in the sixth and Kara Taylor came through with a bases clearing double to stretch to a 6-2 advantage. They would not be done in the frame either as Heartly Nepveux delivered a two RBI single for a six-run lead.
Kaitlin Isley tripled in the seventh to score Lowery and then scored herself on an errant throw before Natalie Hanson plated Taylor with a groundout to reach the eventual final margin of 11-2. A 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh would then lock up the nine-run victory.
Taylor led Piedmont with a 2-for-5 day that included a double, three RBIs and a pair of runs while Lowery was 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs. Isley finished 2-for-5 with a triple, RBI and three runs and McBrayer was 3-for-5 with an RBI. Votava added a 4-for-4 performance and McBrayer threw a complete game with just two earned runs.
Freshman outfielder Abby Hefner (Talking Rock, Ga.) had the lone RBI for LaGrange while freshman designate player Katelyn Minnihan (Stockbridge, Ga.) was 3-for-3 with a run. Senior catcher Maggie White (Alabaster, Ala.) rounded out the offense with a 2-for-3 day and freshman pitcher Claire Chamberlain (Rome, Ga.) went 5.2 innings, allowing eight earned runs to fall to 8-6.
GAME 2: PIEDMONT 11, LAGRANGE 1
Piedmont would jump out ahead in the nightcap as Lowery singled, stole second and stole third with an Isley walk squeezed in between. Taylor would then take advantage of a two-base error in right that plated both runs for a 2-0 lead. LC would then pull together for three straight outs to get out of further trouble.
Votava then doubled to lead off the second and Smith followed with an infield single to put a pair of runners on. Lowery then poked a single though the infield to score Votava and make it 3-0 with Isley singling to load the bases. The Panthers would then work out of the jam with a fly ball to right.
Following a scoreless third, LaGrange would get on the board in the bottom of the fourth when senior pitcher Abbey Gardner (Bainbridge, Ga.) doubled with one out and junior outfielder Sydney Rojo (Lawrenceville, Ga.) pinch ran for her. She would then score on a two-out single to right by junior first baseman Hailee Palmer (Waverly Hall, Ga.) to cut it to 3-1.
It, however, would not be a sign of things to come as the Lions removed all thoughts of a comeback as they exploded for eight runs on six hits and three errors. That outburst put the game out of reach and took it to the eventual final margin of 11-1.
Lowery led Piedmont with a 2-for-4 day that included two RBIs and a pair of runs and Isley was 2-for-3 with a triple, RBI, walk and two runs. Votava went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Riley Ford threw all five innings, allowing just one earned run to improve to 7-4.
Palmer produced the lone RBI for the Panthers while Hefner was a perfect 3-for-3 and Minnihan and Gardner both went 2-for-2. Chamberlain started in the circle, going two innings and allowing two earned runs to suffer the loss and fall to 8-7.
UP NEXT
The Panthers are right back in action with a quick turnaround to a doubleheader at Maryville on Tuesday, April 18. Set for first pitches of 2 p.m. and approximately 4 p.m., the set is a makeup of a twin bill that was wiped away on April 7.
NOTES
Prior to the game LaGrange recognized four seniors playing their final home games in Maggie White, Abbey Gardner, Jessica Coates and Regan Gunter.
